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I found Lord Emsworth, Lady Constance, and told him the…

“I found Lord Emsworth, Lady Constance, and told him the car was in readiness.’ ‘Oh, thank you, Miss Briggs. Where was he?’ ‘Down at the sty. Would there be anything furthah?’ ‘No thank you, Miss Briggs.’ As the door closed, the Duke exploded with a loud report. ‘Down at the sty!’ he cried…” quote by P.G. Wodehouse
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““I found Lord Emsworth, Lady Constance, and told him the car was in readiness.’ ‘Oh, thank you, Miss Briggs. Where was he?’ ‘Down at the sty. Would there be anything furthah?’ ‘No thank you, Miss Briggs.’ As the door closed, the Duke exploded with a loud report. ‘Down at the sty!’ he cried. ‘Wouldn’t you have known it! Whenever you want him, he’s down at the sty, gazing at that pig of his, absorbed, like somebody watching a strip-tease act. It’s not wholesome for a man to worship a pig the way he does. Isn’t there something in the Bible about the Israelites worshipping a pig? No, it was a golden calf, but the principle’s the same. I tell you …’ He broke off. The door had opened again. Lord Emsworth stood on the threshold, his mild face agitated. ‘Connie, I can’t find my umbrella.’ ‘Oh, Clarence!’ said Lady Constance with the exasperation the head of the family so often aroused in her, and hustled him out towards the cupboard in the hall where, as he should have known perfectly well, his umbrella had its home. Left alone, the Duke prowled about the room for some moments, chewing his moustache and examining his surroundings with popping eyes. He opened drawers, looked at books, stared at pictures, fiddled with pens and paper-knives. He picked up a photograph of Mr Schoonmaker and thought how right he had been in comparing his head to a pumpkin. He read the letter Lady Constance had been writing. Then, having exhausted all the entertainment the room had to offer, he sat down at the desk and gave himself up to thoughts of Lord Emsworth and the Empress. Every””

P.G. Wodehouse

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The duke obsessively searches for a missing umbrella, revealing his eccentric, distracted nature and the comic chaos of aristocratic life.

In simple terms: A man’s odd fixation creates humorous confusion.

Key Takeaway

Don’t let minor obsessions dominate your day.

Themes

absurdity distraction class satire

Mood

comic lighthearted ironic

Type

literary satirical

When to use this quote

  • Household chores
  • family gatherings
  • office politics
  • personal organization

Key Concepts

Eccentricity obsession social hierarchy

Questions to Reflect On

  • What small habit distracts you from larger goals?
  • How can you balance humor with responsibility?
A Different Perspective

His preoccupation may mask deeper insecurities about control.

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